


Buddy Spike

by msindyjones



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Daniel being a pest, and needing every injustice righted, emotional angst, mentions of depression and suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-14 10:32:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11781315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msindyjones/pseuds/msindyjones
Summary: Daniel questions Jack about the Air Force's true motives in selecting him to lead the first mission to Abydos.





	Buddy Spike

**Author's Note:**

> A piece brought on by a nagging thought, that I needed to express in a fanfic. 
> 
> Buddy Spike - used during flight operations. In air exercises, it is common to "spike" or lock onto a friendly without engaging. This causes the targeted aircraft's defense systems to warn of active targeting. "Buddy Spike" is a term used to reassure the "spiked" aircraft that the lock came from a friendly aircraft.

Jack was talking about retiring again. A topic he usually brought up when in a particularly foul mood at someone or something. Daniel passively listened to him gripe as he picked at his meal and read the book he had open in his lap. 

“Third time’s a charm. Pack everything up and go back to Minnesota.” Jack said as he aggressively speared the meatball on his plate. 

“I’m sure everything will sort itself out, Sir.” Sam offered, attempting to pacify the situation. Despite knowing that the colonel would soon run out of steam and let the issue go on his own. 

Jack downed his bite of spaghetti. “Sort itself out with me fishing in Minnesota.” His voice already soother than before. Sam took a drink to hide her smirk and promptly turned her attention to her own meal. The three present members of SG-1 ate their food in silence until Jack excused himself, needing to deal with a few things before their mission briefing later. 

Daniel looked up as Jack left the table, watching as he exited the room. “Jack was retired before Apophis came through the gate?” Daniel asked, even though he knew the answer. 

“Yeah.” Sam supplied between bites. 

“And he was retired before the first mission to Abydos?” His second question sounding more unsure than the first. 

“I believe so, yeah.” 

“He retired after Charlie died.” 

Sam shifted in her seat, the topic of Charlie’s passing always uncomfortable for everyone. She was glad Jack wasn’t around. “Yeah. And?” She asked, slightly agitated, not seeing the point of Daniel’s questions.

“Oh, uh, no reason.” He snapped his book shut and stood. “Gotta go, I’ll see you later.” Daniel said, abruptly leaving Sam alone. She shrugged it off, content to finish eating in silence. 

 

Throughout the day, Daniel’s attention was distracted. Several times during the mission briefing he’d zone out and had to be brought back on task. Jack snapped his fingers, impatient with Daniel’s apparent day dreaming. Daniel blinked with a shake of his head, his gaze snapping to Jack’s across the table. 

“Brief is over.” Jack said tapping his watch. “Has been for the last eight minutes.” 

“Oh. Huh.” Daniel looked to his notes and started gathering the folders.

Jack raised a brow. Unsure if he wanted to open the can of worms that would come with the question he wanted to ask. He decided to go for it. “What are ya thinkin’ about?” He asked, more curious to know what held Daniel’s attention so tightly than he’d cared to admit. 

Daniel looked up to Jack, suddenly unsure if he wanted to voice the nagging question that had been plaguing him since lunch. He licked his lips, knowing that Jack would be wanting a decent answer to his absentmindedness. He backed out at the last second. “Nothing that’d interest you I’m sure.” Daniel said with a wave of his hand trying to dismiss the subject. He tucked his files under his arm as he stood. “Just some archaeology stuff that I’ve been wanting to research.” 

“Some archaeology stuff.” Jack echoed in a monotone voice. Surprised that Daniel hadn’t taken this rare opportunity to launch into some obscure topic about ancient civilizations. He was slightly relieved he didn’t have to endure such a conversation, but Daniel’s reluctance to take advantage of Jack asking him was almost concerning. 

“I’ll see you in the Gate Room in an hour!” Daniel called as he quickly descended the stairs from the briefing room. 

“Archaeology stuff.” Jack repeated to himself as he turned to leave through the other door. 

 

“Hey Jack,” Daniel started as the pair waited for the nurse to come around to draw their blood. One of the few steps to clearance following their safe arrival home. 

Jack looked up from where he was holding a cotton ball over the site of an injection. “What?” 

“Why were you picked to lead the first mission to Abydos?” Daniel asked, his question seemingly random against the previous topics of conversation. 

The question came out of the blue and Jack’s features showed him processing it before answering with a shrug, “I dunno. Probably because I fit the criteria. Good leadership skills, needed experience, required security clearance. Why?”

“I just, I was curious. Were there not other officers to pick from?” 

“I’m sure the people in charge of selecting the teams had a short list to choose from. General West could provide more insight to the selection process. He probably has plenty free time to regale you if you ask nicely.” Jack said as he took the cotton ball from his bicep and tossed it into a nearby trash can. 

Daniel had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. An effort that didn’t stop the obvious look of annoyance from settling in. “But there had to have been active officers to pick from.” 

“Is this your way of telling me you’d rather have someone else lead SG-1? Because I’m not going anywhere.” Jack said, his words holding an edge of defensiveness. 

“No, no. You do a great job.” Daniel stopped himself from adding, ‘ninety-nine percent of the time’. “I just don’t see why they wouldn’t have chosen someone who was currently active and met the same criteria. Instead of recalling you out of retirement.” 

The nurse arrived with her phlebotomy tray. She smiled as she pulled on a pair of gloves, preparing for the simple procedure. Jack didn’t need to be asked to extend his arm out for her. “Just let it go Daniel, it’s the military. Don’t ask so many questions.” 

 

Daniel walked into the gym to find Jack holding a steady jogging pace on one of the treadmills. Despite several others being open, he chose to use the one right next to Jack. He started the program, keeping the speed to a brisk walk to warm up. The repeated sounds of footfalls against the continuous moving belts held the air for some time. Jack finally slowed the speed to start his cool down. He reached for the water bottle sitting in the holder, downing a quarter of it before replacing it. 

“Jack,” Daniel said, getting the other’s attention. Jack didn’t say anything, he simply looked over to Daniel to let him know he was listening. “When you agreed to go to Abydos the first time, they told you about the whole mission, right?” He asked. 

Jack gave Daniel an incredulous look as he reached over to stop the treadmill. “Yeah, Daniel, they did. Why are you so fixated on that trip to Abydos? Do you think I messed something up?” Jack questioned, feeling that the repeated attention to the topic was becoming a personal attack. 

“No! Of course not. What you did was better than anyone could have asked for.” 

“Then what it is?” Jack demanded sharply. 

Daniel paused his workout, coming to a standstill. “It’s just an odd situation to me!” Daniel admitted. 

“Odd? How? Why?” 

“They informed you of the nuke they wanted you to use? To bury the ‘gate and destroy the entire planet and everyone on it?” Daniel asked, getting a little more animated with his questioning. 

“Yes, I obviously knew about it. I remember you being surprised finding out about it.” Jack said as he took some deep breaths to help slow his pulse rate. 

“Would they have had the same safe guards no matter who lead the team through the Stargate?” 

“I don’t see why they would have changed.” He said as he used the front his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face. 

“So, it would have been a suicide mission, even if you hadn’t gone?” 

“Daniel, I’m not the only one who is trained to set a nuclear weapon to detonate.” Jack said as he grabbed his water bottle and stepped off the treadmill. Effectively ending their conversation by leaving the gym. 

 

Daniel was in his lab, copying dictation into his journal, when he caught sight of Jack out of the corner of his eye. Quickly, he paused the tape recorder and pushed away from his work station to jog his way to walk along side of Jack. 

“Daniel.” Jack said as his greeting, taking the next turn in the hallway, heading towards the bank of elevators. “Need something?” He asked as they reached the bay. Jack pressed the down arrow, turning to face Daniel as they waited. 

“Um, yes.” The elevator door slid open, Jack motioned to allow Daniel to enter first. Currently on the eighteenth level, Jack selected level twenty-five as their destination. 

“If it’s to accompany SG-11 on their upcoming mission, the answer is still no. We need you for ours.” Jack said, assuming he was getting ahead of the game in denying Daniel’s request. 

“No, it’s not that. It’s…” His words trailed as he knew Jack was going to react poorly to the topic. “When you were asked to go to Abydos,” 

Jack cut him off. “Really? Abydos again?” He asked, exasperated with the subject. 

“Yes, again! Jack, when you were asked to go to Abydos did they tell you it was a suicide mission before or after you agreed?” Daniel asked, nearly pleading for an answer. The elevator came to a stop on level twenty-one. Three airmen joined the pair in the car and they all rode in a palpably uncomfortable silence until they reached the twenty-fifth level. After they exited, Daniel was hot on Jack’s heels. “Did you know before or after?” 

“I knew before! They explained the entire mission and I agreed to go! Which you obviously are aware of, since you’ve asked me five thousand times now.” Jack sped up, trying to lose the prying archaeologist, but to no avail. 

“Jack, come on!” Daniel said as he took a few quick steps to get in front of him. 

Jack came to a sudden stop, the door to his quarters next to him. “Why do you keep asking me about this? There’s obviously some answer you don’t have yet.”

Daniel worked his bottom lip over with his teeth. “Because, I think,” He paused, having to admit what he’d been thinking all along. “I think they picked you because of Charlie dying.” 

The sudden tension between them skyrocketed. Jack reached for the handle to his quarters, getting the door open only a fraction of the way before Daniel’s hand came up to shut it once more. “Daniel.” Jack said through a set jaw. “Let go.” His voice quiet but his tone serious. 

“Think about it! They knew it was supposed to be a suicide mission. And whether they decided to pick you out or came across you in their selection process, they picked you. The Air Force deliberately choose someone who was already willing to die to go on that mission.” Daniel said, his determination growing to get Jack to listen to him, his hand remaining steadfast on keeping the door closed. 

“You don’t know why they picked me to go any more than I do. So just shut up about it.” Jack said as he abandoned trying to get into his quarters. Turing to leave Daniel behind as he picked anywhere else to go. His attempts were futile as Daniel choose to follow him. 

“Like you said, there were other officers trained and qualified and on active duty. They could have picked anyone! Any single person to lead that mission. But they decided to send you. They used you, Jack. They took advantage of your son’s death for their own gain.” 

Jack stood rigid, his shoulders tightening as Daniel’s words pierced him deep. Calling back painful memories that he worked so hard to ignore, no matter how they haunted him. His eyes closed tight as every emotion, every sound, smell, sight of that day came crashing back down around him. Daniel was caught off guard when Jack whirled around to face him. A clean punch to the nose leaving him dazed. His eyes watered, blood immediately flowed down his face. His hand came up, but he was to slow to prevent the droplets from staining his shirt. 

He held his face in his hand, the metallic taste working its way into his mouth. Daniel looked up, Jack was long gone. He winced, at more than just the pain blossoming in his nose. 

 

Sometime later, Jack found Daniel sitting in the commissary. The white tape standing out against a bruise darkening under his right eye. His shoulders were hunched as he sat, pushing the food on his plate around with a fork. Jack approached the table, clearing his throat as he took the seat across from him. Daniel immediately sat up, pushing his plate away from him. “Jack, I,” Daniel started instantly upon seeing him, but Jack stopped him by holding up his hand. He quieted, waiting for Jack to speak. 

The two sat in silence until Jack spoke up. “General Hammond was curious why the gossip of the day was me punching you in the face.” Jack began, his voice surprisingly calm. Daniel was expecting to be dressed down after what he said. “I told him we had a bit of a disagreement over a topic that meant nothing.” 

“It obviously doesn’t mean nothing to you, Jack.” Daniel said after a few moments. 

Jack ran his tongue long the inside of his bottom lip. “I know you think you’ve stumbled upon some great ethical injustice. That the Air Force plotted some conspiracy to cut their losses by sending someone already willing to die on a suicide mission. But, Daniel,” Jack shook his head. “I knew what they wanted. I didn’t care. I was depressed, I was suicidal. A lot of people knew that.” 

“But they still took advantage of that fact. If Charlie hadn’t… if that hadn’t happened, they would’ve needed to pick someone without that biasing factor.” 

“Yeah but they didn’t have to. It’s not worth considering, or digging up the past to get some justification that the military did something that might have been shady. It’s the military, they’re always shady.” 

Daniel frowned and released a short sigh. “Don’t you want some answers?” He asked, wishing he could transfer some of his own concern of this situation to Jack. 

Jack shrugged. “No.” He stood from the table. “I appreciate that you’re worried about this, but just let it go.” Jack took a few steps before he turned back. “I’m not dead, Daniel. And if I did die on that mission, then everyone involved would have gotten what they wanted.” 

Daniel let Jack’s words hang in the air as he started to leave. “Hey Jack,” Daniel called before he left the commissary completely. He turned once again, waiting. “I’m glad that you’re here.” 

A smile tugged at Jack’s lips. “Me too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I do hope you all enjoyed, this is my first fic for SG-1!


End file.
